Kearns Out of Lineup After Beaning

Published 2:47 pm, Monday, April 25, 2016

Cincinnati Reds rookie outfielder Austin Kearns is expected to be sidelined for at least a couple of games after getting beaned by Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Giovanni Carrara.

Kearns was hit on the helmet by a fastball in the ninth inning of Cincinnati's 3-1 victory Tuesday night. The impact left a gash above his left eye that required stitches, but he never lost consciousness.

X-rays taken Wednesday were negative, and a CT scan was normal. But there was residual swelling and bruises, and Kearns was complaining of headaches three hours before the game.

"When I woke up this morning, I couldn't even open my eye because it was so swollen," Kearns said. "But now I can at least see a little bit out of it. Compared to how it was, it's a lot better."

It was the third time Kearns has been hit by a pitch this season. Last year, while playing for the Reds' Double-A Chattanooga farm club, Kearns was hit in the head by a pitch and ruptured his ear drum.

Kearns, who turns 22 on May 20, is hitting .455 through his first 11 major league games and has reached base in 13 of his last 14 plate appearances. But the next time he comes to the plate, he refuses to be intimidated.

"I'm just going to go in there like I always do," he said. "I can't take that into the batters' box and let that bother me."

The Reds have been plunked a major league-leading 15 times. Sean Casey was struck in the head twice, missing four games with a concussion after an April 13 beaning by Philadelphia's Robert Person.

"It doesn't change our approach at the plate," Casey said. "I understand the game, and I know that guys are going to send messages to protect their hitters. But you don't make purpose pitches by throwing it up and in on you. I mean, I got knocked out cold a couple weeks ago and that scared me."